Preseason auditions: Former Utah players making their case to earn an NFL roster spot

When NFL training camps began, somewhere around 2,800 players were listed on the league's 32 team rosters.

By the end of August, a little more than a month after these camps began, only 1,696 of those players will find themselves on the active/inactive list of an NFL team.

In a competitive market where around 40 percent of applicants don't earn a job, NFL training camps and preseason action amount to a proving ground for those hoping to make playing football their profession.

Dozens of players with Utah ties are among those fighting to find a spot on the 53-man roster. Soon, they will know if the work has paid off.

Prior to 2 p.m. MT on Aug. 27, NFL teams have to reduce their roster to 75 players. The big cut comes four days later on Aug. 31, when teams must have their active/inactive list trimmed to 53 players by 4 p.m. MT.

Here's a look at five players with Utah ties who have had strong performances during the preseason, and the odds they face in turning this into a roster spot: